Another Public Education Union Backs Prop 40, The California Billionaire Tax

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37,000-member-strong United Teachers Los Angeles joins growing list of public education advocates backing Prop 40

SACRAMENTO — President Trump’s Big, Ugly bill slashed funding for public education, healthcare, and food assistance to pay for billionaire tax breaks, and now California’s children and families are suffering the consequences.

State estimates show that as many as 578,000 Californians could lose some or all of their CalFresh food assistance, and up to 3.4 million Californians could lose Medi-Cal coverage, with school districts across the state also facing cutbacks.

In response, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), representing more than 37,000 public school educators across the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and LA charter schools, is joining the growing list of public education advocates endorsing Prop 40, the California Billionaire Tax, to make billionaires finally pay their fair share.

“Supporting the Billionaire Tax is an easy choice for anyone who cares about California’s children,” said Julie Van Winkle, 8th-grade math teacher and UTLA-AFT Vice President. “Prop 40 will deliver urgently needed resources to children and help schools meet the growing needs of students and families.”

“Our position is clear,” Van Winkle added. “California’s schools, hospitals, and clinics need funding. Billionaires do not.”

Just this past week, the 550,000 members California State Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) also endorsed Prop 40, adding to the growing list of educators and public education advocates endorsing the Billionaire Tax.

The high-profile endorsements come as a few California Teachers Association staff mount a vocal campaign against the measure, despite the benefits it would deliver for public education and educators, and despite the fact that the majority of its membership –  63% of teachers statewide- expressed support for Prop 40 in a recent poll. 

The number of major supporters endorsing Prop 40 far outnumber those opposing it. Just last month, the California State Democratic Party, the California Nurses Association, and the state’s largest labor group, the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, all voted to endorse the Billionaire Tax, showing that Democrats and working families are united behind Prop 40. 

Additional supporters include U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Ro Khanna, Representative Judy Chu, Teamsters California, AFSCME California, SEIU-UHW, Committee of Interns and Residents / SEIU, UNITE HERE Local 11, UNITE HERE Local 30, AFT Local 1521, Disability Voices United, Our Revolution California, Oxfam America, Color of Change, the Working Families Party, AFT 1521, and many more. 

Recognizing the hardship that Trump’s cuts are causing children and families, UTLA said they couldn’t sit on the sidelines of this critical funding debate. Children across Los Angeles County, especially in low income communities, face disproportionate harm from Trump’s cuts to education in healthcare. Already, the county has been forced to close half of its community-based clinics due to lack of funding. 

Not only did the organization endorse Prop 40, it also voted to officially oppose billionaires’ poison pill measures, Props 41 and 42. Both would undo the Billionaire Tax, undermining the will of voters and depriving potentially millions of children across the state of food assistance and healthcare access. 

The funds from Prop 40 will go to life-saving medical care for California’s children and families. It will allow millions of Californians to keep their health insurance and not see their premiums skyrocket. It will also help prevent teacher layoffs in our public schools and keep children fed through food assistance. 

Voters consistently support the California Billionaire Tax. A recent poll of likely 2026 California voters found that the billionaire tax holds a strong double-digit, 19-point lead statewide, with voters supporting it by a 57% to 38% margin. Support rises dramatically among constituencies that form the backbone of the Democratic Party, with 80% of Democrats and 70% of union members supporting Prop 40.

Prop 40 qualified for the ballot after supporters submitted more than 1.6 million signatur of es from Californians across the state — nearly twice the number required to qualify — making it one of the strongest citizen-led ballot qualification efforts in California history.

About UTLA

UTLA is composed of educators in district and charter schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Our mission is to ensure equity in public education, uphold educators’ rights, advance the well-being of students, and strengthen communities. Our holistic approach allows our union to address the issues that matter most to educators, students, and their families. Together, we bargain for our benefits with LAUSD and take on a range of issues, including equitable and sustainable access to academic opportunity and technology, green public schools, and equitable school funding. For more information: utla.net.

About Prop 40, the California Billionaire Tax Act

Trump’s “Big, Ugly Bill” slashed funding for healthcare in California to pay for more billionaire tax breaks. These cuts eliminate healthcare coverage for up to 3.4 million Californians and double health insurance premiums for millions more. Prop 40, the California Billionaire Tax Act, will make billionaires finally pay their fair share in taxes to keep local hospitals and ERs open and healthcare affordable for millions of Californians.

Vote YES on Prop 40 to save lives, tax billionaires. 

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